Archive for September, 2012

Once your dog has learned the basic steps of good canine manners – to sit, lie down, stay, and come on command – teaching her not to grab for treats, not to snatch at food, and to accept her meals in calm way will help her become a welcome part of your home during family meal time.

The first step is to make her “Sit” before you give her a treat. When she sits, hold the treat in front of her nose for a few seconds, then say “Take it,” in a firm, yet loving voice.

Allow her to “take” the treat when she reaches for it.

If your dog grabs for the treat before you make the command, or she rushes at it where you can feel her teeth, hold the treat in your hand behind your back and DO NOT give it to her.

Have her return to the sitting position, and try again, repeating “Take it” as you hold the treat in front of her. Only give her the treat when she takes it gently in her mouth at your request. Like all training, you may need to work at this several time a day for a while until she understands what you want.

Repeat these steps EVERY TIME you allow her to pick up a treat or a bite of food from your hands.

When its time for her meal, training her not to rush the bowl and grab for her food is just good “table manners.”

When you are preparing the meal, make sure she “sits” and watches. Don’t allow her to crowd around, jostle you, or jump on you. Stop preparing the food until she sits calmly on command.

As you move the bowl to its normal spot, command your dog to “Sit” and go “Down.” Do not set the bowl of food where she can get it until she is in the “down” position.

Once her bowl is in its place, tell her to “Take it,” and allow her to eat. If she rushes the bowl before you give the command, pick it up, and ask for “Sit” and “Down” again. Only give her the meal, when she completes the task on your request. Repeat these steps EVERY mealtime.

Training your dog not to snatch and grab at her own treats and food also teaches her not to try to steal yours. Being able to comfortably eat a meal or a snack without having your dog misbehave, keeps your entire family – including your pet – happy and stress-free.

Basic Training, Part 6

Teaching Your Dog to Walk On a Leash

Dogs are not born knowing how to walk on a leash without pulling or straining. That is something you’re going to have to teach your new puppy or older, un-trained dog. For this exercise, most professional dog trainers don’t recommend using a retractable leash. Purchase a regular leash and collar or halter that gives you more control over your dog while you are training him.

Your first step is to get your dog acclimated to his collar or halter. Place them on his body and adjust each so that you can slip at least two fingers between his neck and the collar, and between his body and each strap of a halter. Make sure both are tight enough so that they don’t slip off the body or over the head, but loose enough to be comfortable.

Leave the collar or halter on him without removing it until he adjusts to it and feels calm sleeping and moving around in it. This may take a few hours to a couple of days, so patience is needed here.

Once he is relaxed, slip your leash onto his collar/halter and take him outside. Place your hand through the leash’s loop and wrap it around your wrist. This keeps your dog from possibly pulling it off your hand and getting loose.

Begin walking forward at a slow pace. If your dog refuses to follow you, hold a treat in front of his nose as you step off without allowing him to take it. Once he takes 2 or 3 steps, give him the treat and praise him. You may need to give a slight tug on the leash the first several times to get him to move, but a gentle tug is important. DO NOT pull.

Continue with this until he is moving forward freely and looking for his treats.

This part of his training may take several days of consistent work for him to move freely on his own. Slowly take the treat away as he learns, but continue to praise him when he walks without that initial tug on the leash.

If your dog insists on walking quickly in front of you and pulling on the leash, immediately stop moving and make him sit. Give him a treat if he sits promptly. Once he learns that he won’t be allowed to take off on his own, and that he has to stay with you – and that there is a reward in that behavior – he will start walking at your pace.

Remember, consistency is the key here. You MUST train him the same way every time or you’ll have a dog that pulls and tugs when you walk him. That type of uncontrollable pet is a danger to himself and to other people and dogs on the street.

Question by Toc: The difference between a “Guard” dog & “Protection” dog?
If I get a German Shepherd, will he naturally protect me, my family & my property without any training? I hve a few friends who own so-called “guard dogs”. They bark viciously behind the gates but when someone steps into their homes, they run away & hide under a car.

Best answer:

Answer by hayesatlbchyou can have a 3 pound guard dog that sounds an alert or a large dog that will protect you with its life.

Image Description: Girl and dog shelter from the rain. A young girl in red leggings and jacket sheleters from a rain strom under an umbrella alongside her slightly-perplexed-looking (and very large) pet dog. Watercolour painting by Malcolm Greensmith

Question by gardensallday: New neighbors’ 8 month old Rottweiler puppy is getting aggressive, what to do?
My brother’s new neighbors got a Rottweiler puppy a few months back, and this puppy is getting very territorial. The dog has growled at my brother, and also growled and blocked the door when the neighbor’s 6 year old boy wanted to go into the house. The dog has the whole aggressive stance going – not playing, for sure. The dog runs into my brother’s very large yard (he’s on the edge of a small town, so he has a few acres). My brother already had a mild dog phobia, and now he doesn’t feel safe in his own yard. The dog gets out of the house because the 6 year old leaves the door open by accident. The neighbor lady was there when the dog was blocking the door, and pulled the dog back so her son could come into the house, and my brother commented that the dog seems to be getting very territorial and may be dangerous to the boy, but he says the lady just blew him off and made excuses for the dog’s behavior “he’s friendly.” The neighbors spend little time with the dog because both parents work full time, and they are doing their own remodeling of the house. So the dog is ignored most of the time.

Ok, so there are multiple concerns here – My brother wants to feel safe in his yard, which is far too large to fence in, and there is a concern about the neighbor’s little boy, which apparently Mom thinks her Rottweiler is going to cure himself of his aggression as he gets older, cuz his owners aren’t training him, that’s for sure.
THE DOG IS THREATENING THE BOY, ALSO. Or, are you saying that a half grown Rottweiler blocking the doorway into the 6 year old boy’s HOME and growling at him is of zero concern?

Best answer:

Answer by caseyGet your brother to try and set up a time when he can interact with the dog in a safe environment where the dog won’t be too on edge about him being around. Try interacting with the dog when the child is not around and then take it from there. Get him to offer the dog treats and things like that. If the dog feels safe around him then he can start to feel safe around the dog.

I found this in Ann Landers’ column a long time ago. I recently found out that the author’s name is Chuck Wells. The music used in the video is not mine. It is the property of Metastation. It was composed and performed by Buckethead.

Oh for the love of Dog! …Two potential lovers meet to talk about their affection for dogs… and genitalia. As seen at: Sundance Film Festival New York Photo Festival Just For Laughs Film Festival Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles Film Independent Tallgrass Film Festival and on Canadian, European and Russian television Directed by Danny Roew Written by and Starring Tonya Cornelisse & Graham Sibley Edited by Aaron Bennett Music Composed by Aaron Bennett & Dave Bingham, Arranged by Ryan Oliver Shot and Produced by Danny Roew

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